Op-Ed Competition 2018

*This competition is now closed but you are still welcome to respond to the prompt.*

Do you ever feel like you have something to say but nowhere to say it? A worthy opinion that needs to be shared? This month, Write the World and the Journalism Education Association are giving you the floor.

Perhaps the most democratic form of journalism, the op-ed is founded on the idea that every person has a voice worthy of a public platform. Each one of you has a particular and personal vantage point from which to offer your wisdom. What change would you like to see in the world? In your country? In your community? From climate change to local politics to your school’s culture, we want to hear your opinion about something that matters… to you.

Guiding Ideas

MAKE IT PERSONAL: We want to know what you think. It’s always tempting to check out the research and opinions that are already out there before crafting your own response. But before you consider what other people think, carefully contemplate your chosen topic and jot down any ideas that come to mind, as well as any emotions that surface.

INVESTIGATE YOUR OPINION: Why do you think what you think? Can you identify the people or experiences that have influenced you in forming this opinion? Your friends? Your family? School? The media or the culture in which you live? Exploring the root of your opinion demonstrates to your readers that you have thought deeply about the issues at hand.

BACK UP YOUR IDEAS: Once you have a sense of what you want to say, start collecting evidence. Look at the existing research on your topic, find persuasive quotes from reputable sources, and/or identify experiences from your own life (or anecdotes from people you know) that demonstrate the validity of your perspective.

WECOME CHANGE: As your knowledge deepens, your ideas will likely evolve. This is a good thing! Be open to your perspective becoming more complex and nuanced.

TAKE A STAND: An op-ed is your chance to weigh in on a social, political, or cultural issue. Most essentially, an op-ed asserts an opinion. So be sure to include a clear thesis statement that unequivocally makes your central argument

CAPTIVATE YOUR READER: An opinion piece should be a riveting read. Make sure your writing is thoughtful, reflective and clearly structured. Think about starting the piece with a story or anecdote that hooks your reader. Make sure your argument is compelling and watertight from beginning to end.

MAKE IT UNIVERSAL: As you share your opinion, keep in mind that your goal is to persuade your audience to listen up. Oftentimes, the most compelling op-eds are both personal and universal. Try sharing an experience from your life that illustrates your opinion, while also explaining (or showing through examples) how this topic impacts people on a broader scale.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE: Don’t forget to cite your sources.

** Check out the sample outline under “Resources” for more tips on how to write a stellar op-ed.

Forms of Persuasion

Some readers might be convinced by hard facts and statistics. Others might be persuaded by an emotional anecdote, or a story from your own life. Writing a compelling op-ed often requires looking at the topic from multiple angles—each perspective helping to solidify your argument, while convincing readers to listen up. Here are some different strategies to try out as you craft your argument. You might focus on two or three, or perhaps all forms of persuasion will come into play in your piece.

Personal Experience: The writer describes an experience he or she has had.

Expert Opinion: The writer draws on the opinion of an expert—someone trained in a particular area, or someone who has relevant personal experience.

Example: The writer provides an example that supports a larger idea or pattern.

Analogy: The writer compares the situation to another similar situation.

Facts and Statistics: The writer uses facts or numbers to prove their idea. Often this information comes from other sources, such as books, newspapers, or websites.

About the Journalism Education AssociationWe’re thrilled to partner with JEA, the largest scholastic journalism organization for teachers and advisers. JEA offers national certification for teaching high school journalism. They also publish print and online resources on the latest trends in journalism education and provide avenues for virtual discussion among teachers to promote best practices. JEA monitors and actively defends First Amendment and scholastic press rights issues across the country.

Prizes Best Entry: $100 (winning piece + author interview will be featured on Write the World’s website and blog)
Runner up: $50
Best Peer Review: $50 (reviewer interview will be featured on Write the World’s website and blog)
What’s Different about Write the World Competitions? Prizes: The winning entrant(s) will receive $100, and the best peer-reviewer will receive $50.
Professional Recognition: The winning entry, plus the runner-up and best peer review, will be featured on our blog, with commentary from our guest judge.
Expert Review: Submit your draft by Monday March 12th and get feedback from our team of experts—authors, writing teachers, and educational professionals.

Key Dates March 5: Competition Opens
March 12: Submit draft for Expert Review (Optional. We will review the first 100 drafts submitted.)
March 16: Reviews returned to Writers
March 20: Final Submissions Due
March 30: Winners Announced

Due Dates

Resources

Interview with Op-Ed Competition Featured Writer, Noran Shalby

April 29, 2018

Featured WriterFor our Op-Ed Writing Competition, young writer Noran Shalby wrote a well-researched, thought provoking piece on the White Nationalist led Charlottesville Rally. Noran’s goal was to “propel readers to become more conscientious and to reconsider their position within the American racial paradigm.” Check out our interview with Noran to learn more about his process for achieving this goal.

Op-Ed Competition Winners Announced!

March 30, 2018

When we asked writer and guest judge Bob Morris what he would be looking for in a winning Op-Ed entry, he said, “Specificity, humor when possible, a less obvious and more counterintuitive take on an issue, a short anecdote or personal element to forward the argument.” It’s clear that this month’s competition winners took Bob’s words of wisdom to heart. The winning authors offered fresh, deeply personal takes on their respective topics. Read on for more on why the three winning entries caught the attention of our guest judge.

Author Bob Morris on Writing a Quality Op-Ed

March 19, 2018

Writing an opinion editorial, or op-ed, seems pretty straight forward. You simply sound off on a topic that’s important to you…right? Well, not quite. Op-eds, as our competition partners at JEA put it, “seek to inform and persuade.” As such, your piece should balance well researched information with a clear stance on the matter at hand. Today, Guest Judge Bob Morris–who has penned op-eds for the world-renowned New York Times—shares his tips for writing an engaging op-ed.

March Spotlight: Reading Like an Op-Ed Writer

March 7, 2018

In this Spotlight, Lisa Hiton takes us on a reading tour of different op-ed pieces, offers insights into successful op-ed writers, and poses
some guiding questions that can help you read and write like an op-ed writer.